1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a device which is designed to analyze present conditions and prevent the formation of and/or remove previously formed ice. The gist of the invention is the application of piezoelectric material to the outer surface of an object which is to be protected from ice formation. This material is connected by a set of electrodes through connecting all weather wiring to a power supply. The power supply may be either AC or DC initially. It is then converted into an alternating current and the voltage and wave form delivered to the piezoelectric material is monitored and controlled by a microprocessor. As the microprocessor feeds electrical pulses to the piezoelectric material, these polorized, crystalline structures realign themselves in the direction of the electrical field. This realignment causes a stretching, bending, or elongation of the material. On the removal of this electrical field, the polorized crystals return to their original position. This application of pulse electricity to this material results in its constant movement and secondarily, in the dissipation of heat, both of which work together to effect the removal of ice or the prevention of the formation of ice on the object to be protected. Additionally, information is retrieved from the material so that an analysis of the atmospheric conditions and physical activity along the material at various intermittent locations may be analyzed.
2. Description of Prior Art
While there are numerous types and designs of anti-icing and deicing devices, to the best of this inventor's knowledge, there has never been an invention such as this designed to uniformly and simultaneously prevent the formation of ice on, or remove ice from, certain objects. Specifically, with regard to employment of devices for general aviation aircraft, one method employed is a mechanical device which employs an inflatable balloon cover or "boot". This boot is inflated and is supposed to crack the ice layer. This device, however allows ice to form prior to removal and is easily damaged. Another method employed in aircraft is electrical heating elements. These elements are buried beneath the airfoil surfaces and are designed to keep the areas involved hot enough to prevent the formation of, or remove previously formed, ice. Nevertheless, these devices are inefficient and require large amounts of power for them to be operative. Further, they heat areas of the aircraft which are not covered with ice and they must generate enough heat to melt previously formed ice. Also, these devices are difficult and expensive to maintain. Another means utilized in aircraft deicing is the incorporation of exhaust gases blown across the surfaces desired to be kept ice-free. These devices are costly and inefficient in that they require a large amount of power from the aircraft in order to supply the hot air necessary to keep the desired areas ice-free. So much of this power is required that this device is less than effective at critical times such as take-off and landing when power is required elsewhere. Further, these devices are not available to aircraft without turbine engines.
Another method employed by aircraft is the use of deicing fluids. These systems are inaccurate in that they require spraying, dripping, or weeping of some fluid along the areas desired to be kept ice-free. Further, these devices require the provision of a large storage capacity on the aircraft to contain enough fluid necessary to keep the plane ice-free.
Ferren, UK Pat. No. 2,106,966 A, discloses a piezoelectric film which has electrodes on each side formed by conductive layers of aluminum to form a "piezoelectric element". This rudimentary device is connected with a power supply chosen to provide constant or constantly varied electrical vibrations to this "piezoelectric element". This device is highly inefficient because it requires a large amount of power in order to "vibrate" the entire element all at once. Further, no analysis of information is provided and the metal electrodes add weight, increase the radar receptivity, when used, and are easily damaged. Williams, U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,794, discloses a device which produces a cyclic supply of energy to ordinary airplane deicers in the form of electrical heaters. The Williams device is designed to protect a generator from overloading, when airplane heaters are energized, by providing a means for maintaining a constant load on an airplane generator while enabling the load to be shifted in phases to various heaters. As discussed, neither of these two devices provide the ability for the operator to determine the condition of the deicing element used, be it piezoelectric material or heater, and neither provides for the controlled vibration in regular and irregular patterns.